Male rape research

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Main article: types of rape

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Male sexual assault and rape is a topic new to the research world. What can be estimated from the Uniform Crime Report rape statistics is that rape of males, by both genders, represents a minimum of about 10% of all rapes.

1 Rape of males by males
2 Rape of males by females
- 2.1 Statutory rape of males by females
- 2.2 Non statutory rape of males by females
3 Male rapist profiles
4 Further reading
5 External links
6 References

[edit] Rape of males by males

It is less well-known that many men and boys have been raped by other males. Male on male rape is common in incest, incestuous rape, and other situations, (such as prison or other similar settings) where men and boys are dependent on elder males and/or are unable to escape stronger males. There are few reliable statistics on male-male rape. Since there is no known uniform gender-neutral data on all forms of rape it impossible to distinguish how many males were raped by males versus those males raped by females.

Men, young men and boys suffer rape-related trauma by rape and sexual assault just as female victims do. In addition, due to male socialization to consider all male-male sexual contact to be shameful, to 'be tough and take it like a man' and to eschew victimhood in all its forms, many males who were survivors of male rape choose to suffer in silence rather than risk reporting the crime. These victims consider the shame of disclosure and their likely shunning by peers, as worse than the crime itself; a form of double-bind shame similar to the double-bind blame that male-female rape victims often face. Incest by fathers or incestuous rape of male children by adult men or by older and/or physically larger males in responsible roles is an especially traumatic form of sexual crime against males that has gained widespread national attention in the United States due to the recent Roman Catholic sex abuse cases. Male-male rape often does deep damage to or destroys the survivor's image of himself as a man which may cause him to feel helpless and alone among other men.

When a male is raped (by a male or female) the involuntary physiological response of erection or ejaculation cannot be taken to imply that the act was welcomed by the victim. A capable assailant, male or female, can induce these involuntary physical responses in the majority of males with force and/or with deception. Likewise, in incest or incestuous male-male rape, 'voluntary' initiation, 'voluntary' participation, and involuntary enjoyment by the victim, do not imply that the sexual assault is consensual, less loathsome, or less traumatic to the victim. Many people mistake these involuntary physiological effects, falsely, as indications of consent, when in fact the male rape victims have no more control over his involuntary physiological responses than do female rape victims.

Male-on-male rape does not imply homosexuality. This is a common misperception. People often view the male aggressor as a homosexual, and may think of the recipient as having homosexual tendencies too, especially if he shows signs of sexual stimulation during the experience. Research indicates that the most common form of male-male rape is group rape by other males who rape males who are considered less than 'real' men or latent homosexuals; therefore it is a mistake to perceive the rapists as homosexuals in these cases too. A male rape victim will often experience involuntary erection when forcibly penetrated by rapists of either gender but that does not mean that he is homosexual or that he enjoys the rape. To falsely label a male rape victim 'homosexual' just because his rapist was male can cause the rape victim double-bind shame in cultures where discrimination against homosexuals is rampant.

In the past decade, westerners have become more aware of the prevalence of homosexual rape in Muslim countries. Young men, particularly European and American tourists and visitors, have been targeted for gang rape in such locations. While the reasons for this phenomenon are not yet clearly understood, the sexual repression that's fostered by strict Islamic code is believed to be a contributing factor.

[edit] Rape of males by females

Women also can commit an act of rape with force or deception to make a man (or adolescent) engage in a non-consensual penetrative sexual act.

[edit] Statutory rape of males by females

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Further information: Female on male statutory rape

According to Court TV's Crime Library, women commit about 10% of all sexual offences and their abuse often involves their own child or children which is incest.

Many reported cases are viewed by the offender as "consensual" and are statutory rape - several widely publicized cases in the United States involved school teachers raping their teenage male students under their consent - however, under current Federal United States law, children under the age of consent do not have the right to give free and willing consent, and it is believed to be an abuse of authority for a teacher to use their position to have sex with a student. A recent example of this is that of Debra Lafave of Greco Middle School and her teenage student. The controversial case questioned the view that women do not cause harm when they engage in sex acts with children.

[edit] Non statutory rape of males by females

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Male victims of rape by females may face social, political, and legal double-standards. Female rapists may be seen as less culpable than male rapists. Others may misperceive female-on-male rape as consensual. Since rape by females is less well known and less common, male victims may find less support. Female-on-male rape might be under-reported.

A fictional example of female-on-male non statutory rape can be seen on the episode [1]"Ridicule" of the popular TV series "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit".

[edit] Male rapist profiles

Dr. A. Nicholas Groth, author of Men Who Rape: The Psychology of the Offender, described four types of deliberate rapists, based on their motivations and behavior patterns. Forensic scientists, criminologists, and law enforcement agencies often use these profiles to analyze rapists, and prevent future rapes.

Since rapes are predominantly perpetrated by men, a male perpetrator is assumed in these profiles:

The power-assertive rapist: This is argued to be the most common type of rapist, accounting for about 40 percent of all reported rapes. Wishing to be an alpha male, he tends to value machismo and physical aggression, and often rapes victims that he meets in places like bars, where he may pose as, or be, an authority figure. Power-assertive rapists rarely target specific people for rape and, while not intending to kill their victims, often traumatize and humiliate them.
The power-reassurance rapist: Responsible for about 27.5% of reported rapes, this type of rapist has been described by law enforcers as the "gentleman rapist". He is usually:
- of average intelligence;
- not physically aggressive;
- socially-deficient; and
- unable to develop interpersonal or romantic relationships.

Usually, he will select and stalk a victim before committing the crime. The victim is usually someone whom he knows, eg. a neighbor or work acquaintance. Power-reassurance rapists often force the victim to emulate foreplay, and take "trophies" of the rape; they may even record the event in a personal journal. Power-reassurance rapists tend to be the least violent type of rapists, often fantasizing about consensual sexual relationships with women, rather than violent conquests.

Anger-retaliatory rapist: Responsible for about 28% of rapes, this type of rapist is often a substance abuser, with impulsive behavior and anger-related pathologies. He does not target specific victims, and often feels a general animosity toward the gender of his target. The anger-retaliatory rapist's attacks are usually spontaneous and brutal, and while he does not intend to kill the victim, he may beat her or him to death if she or he resists. This rapist usually has below-average intelligence, and is likely to leave more evidence than other types of rapists.
The anger-excitation rapist: This type of rapist, considered the most dangerous and elusive, accounts for about 4.5 percent of rapes. The anger-excitation rapist may or may not choose his victims selectively. Often sadistic, this type of rapist frequently murders his victim to prevent her or him from identifying him, or for his own self-gratification. FBI profilists lists the fourth type as "sexually sadistic rapists." These rapists are sexual sadists. Only a small percentage of sexual sadists are rapists.

According to John Douglas, the legendary FBI profilist, rapists tend to fall into four basic categories: "power-reassurance rapist" (driven by feelings of inadequacy), the "exploitive" rapist (impulsive driven and overtly macho), the "anger" rapist (who uses sex to displace his rage), and the "sadistic" rapist, who gets aroused from sexual sadism.

[edit] Further reading

Anderson, Peter and Struckman-Johnson, Cindy, Sexually Aggressive Women: Current Perspectives and Controversies, Guilford, 1998.

Male survivors

Dorais, Michel, Don't Tell: The Sexual Abuse of Boys, McGill-Queen Univ Press, 2002.
Mezey, Gillian, and King, Michael, Male Victims of Sexual Assault, Oxford, 2000.

[edit] External links

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Male-male and female-male rape links